Squadron Service - Luftwaffe
Germany's 180 Eurofighters (the name "Typhoon" has not been adopted by the Luftwaffe) will replace upgraded F-4F Phantoms currently operated by JG71 Richthofen at Wittmundhaven, JG73 Steinhoff at Laage and JG74 at Neuberg. JG73 re-equipped first, followed by JG74 in 2008. In a change to the original plan, the third German Typhoon unit will be JBG31 Boelcke at Nörvenich, which currently operates the Tornado IDS. It will convert in 2009. JG71 at Wittmund will follow in 2011. The final unit will be another Tornado operator, JBG33 at Büchel, which is scheduled to convert between 2013-15.
JG73 received the EADS Interim Training Device (ITD), a tool to support future operational aircrew transition to the Eurofighter when it enters service with the Luftwaffe. The Eurofighter ITD consists of a fully functional cockpit facsimile equipped with MK16A ejection seat replica, HOTAS, rudder/brake pedals, and all multi-function head-up and head-down displays, control panels and switches. The simulation elements at delivery represent the complete Eurofighter aircraft models (flight, aero, mass, flight control system, sensors, engines etc.) and the avionics systems (e.g., CAPTOR radar and Infrared Search & Track Sensor/IRST, weapons). The ITD can train future Eurofighter pilots not only in handling, flight characteristics, operational and emergency procedures, but also supplies five different tactical scenarios.
The first ITD was delivered to the German Air Force on August 1st 2002.
On December 9th 2002 the first Eurofughter for the German Air Force was handed over to the program teams of the procurement branch of the German Ministry of Defense and the German Air Force at EADS/Manching. The two-seater (GT001) will be flown to the Air Force�s Technical Academy 1 at Kaufbeuren in January 2003, where it will be used in the training of the first ground crews. Seven additional two-seat Eurofighters are scheduled for delivery by October 1st 2003 to JG-73 at Laage.
Starting in April 2003 the first six instructor pilots of the German Air Force will receive their training at EADS/Manching The Weapon System Support Centre, a cooperative venture between the German Air Force and EADS Military Aircraft, will go into service in Spring 2003 at Manching. It will be responsible for logistic support.
Eurofighter GT001 made its maiden flight from EADS Military Aircraft/Manching on February 13th 2003 at 14:43 GMT. The flight lasted 44 minutes. At the controls were Heinz Spoelgen, EADS Military Aircraft Eurofighter Typhoon Project Test Pilot, and Lt. Col. Robert Hierl , German Air Force.
On August 4th 2003 the first series production Eurofighter was delivered to the German Air Force. Initially, the aircraft designated GT003 (98+33) will be used for Service Pilot Instructor Training based at Manching in southern Germany. Later in the year German Air Force Eurofighter aircraft will be delivered to Laage in northern Germany where the process of integration to the operational fleet will commence.
In December 2003 EADS Military Aircraft and MTU completed the initial training of the instructors and management staff of the Eurofighter ground crews within the German Luftwaffe. The re-trained Luftwaffe personnel took over training at the Air Force School of Engineering No. 1 in Kaufbeuren, and additionally support operation of the first Eurofighter at Laage.
The second training course for future Eurofighter flight instructors of the Luftwaffe was due to be completed in March 2004 at EADS Military Aircraft and the Bundeswehr Technical Centre WTD 61 at Manching. Initially, under this Service Instructor Pilot Training (SIPT), ten Luftwaffe pilots are being trained on Eurofighter. These pilots will be further trained by the Luftwaffe itself to become instructors of the Luftwaffe's future Eurofighter pilots.
By April 1st 2004 the Luftwaffe had received seven flying Eurofighters.
JG73 received the first Eurofighter production aircraft in a ceremony at Rostock-Laage AB on April 30th 2004. The aircraft had previously been employed for SIFT training at Manching.
At the Berlin Air Show, ILA 2004, several aircraft from 732 Staffel/JG-73 preformed flying displays during the course of the week. This was the first time that a Eurofighter that had been delivered to an air arm had given a flying display. By mid-May 2004 the unit had received seven aircraft.
The first single-seat Typhoon (GS002?) for the Luftwaffe was ferried to the Air Force School of Engineering No. 1 at Kaufbeuren on February 14th 2005. There the aircraft is being used to train technicians and ground crews.
On April 8th 2005 EADS Military Aircraft handed over the first single-seat operational Eurofighter to JG 73 "Steinhoff". This was aircraft GS004, serial 30+09, and was the first of ten single-seaters that are to be delivered to the wing in the course of 2005. In addition to these deliveries, a further two-seater will also be put at the wing's disposal.
On March 22nd 2006 the first ASTA Early Cockpit Trainer was formally accepted by the German Air Force. This device, installed at Laage, will primarily be used for procedural and basic flight training as part of the conversion to type of German Air Force pilots.
On August 9th 2006 the German Air Force successfully completed check out activities on the first Eurofighter Typhoon dome simulator at Fighter Wing 73 "Steinhoff".
With the first ASTA (Aircrew Synthetic Training Aids) Full Mission Simulator (FMS) now introduced and the Cockpit Trainer (ECT) already in operation since early this year, the German Air Force now can use two ASTA training devices to perform simultaneous training at the same Main Operating Base (MOB). This provides greater flexibility in delivering the training syllabus to the pilots.
On July 25th 2006 JG 74 took delivery of its first four Typhoon aircraft at their base in Zell, near Neuburg/Donau. JG74 will focus purely on operational and tactical flying.
By the end of March 2007, Luftwaffe Eurofighters had accumulated 3535 flight hours.
During January 2008 the Luftwaffe commenced Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) operations with Eurofighters at Neuburg. Initially this duty was shared with F-4F Phantoms, but on June 12th 2008 the Eurofighters took over sole responsibility for the mission.
On September 18th 2008 30+17 became the first Eurofighter to land at Büchel to attend JbG33's families day. JbG33 is scheduled to begin receiving the type in 2013.
On February 4th 2009 the German Air Force deployed three Typhoons (30+23, 30+25 and 30+38) and an Airbus A310 MRTT to India, staging via Abu Dhabi. The Typhoons all refuelled from the tanker on the way to Abu Dhabi. The purpose of their visit is to attend Aero India 2009, will take place from the 11th to 15th February at Air Force Station Yelahanka, near Bangalore.
The longest ever flight of a Eurofighter Typhoon was performed by the German Air Force en route to Aero India 2009. The flight from Laage to Abu Dhabi lasted eight hours and thirty minutes.
The Typhoons arrived back at their home base on February 17th, via King Khaled International Airport in Saudi Arabia.
On March 16th 2009 the GAF marked 10,000 flying hours with the Eurofighter.
On April 14th 2009 two Tranche 2 Typhoons were delivered to JG74 at Laage, followed by two more on April 16th.
On August 5th 2009 German Air Force Typhoons from JG74 began a detachment to Decimomannu in Sardinia. The Typhoons were training alongside US Air Force F-16s, Italian Air Force F-16s and AMXs, and German Air Force Tornados from Noervenich. Their training included combined air operations, Dissimilar Air Combat Training, air refuelling from a Tornado tanker aircraft and the testing of capabilities in hot conditions.
On August 31st 2009 the German Air Force assumed responsibility for patrolling the Baltic nations' air space, initially with four Typhoons from JG74. Soon after arriving, two Typhoons were launched to intercept a contact in international airspace over the Baltic Sea which turned out to be a Russian Antonov An-72 transport.
On September 15th another intercept was carried out, this time of a Russian A-50 'Mainstay' AWACS which was escorted by two Su-27s.
After 2 months of policing Baltic airspace, the Typhoons from JG74 were replaced by six F-4F Phantoms from JG71 in early November 2009.
The 200th production Typhoon (GS026/30+51) was handed over to the Luftwaffe at a ceremony at Manching on November 24th 2009.
On December 16th 2009 Jagdbombergeschwader 31 "Boelcke" received its first four of 35 Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft. The Eurofighter Typhoons have been handed over in a ceremony at the Wing's base, Nörvenich, in North Rhine Westphalia and will replace the Tornados in service with the Wing by the end of June 2010.
JbG 31 is the first Luftwaffe unit to use the Eurofighter Typhoon in an air-to-ground role. The Wing's aircraft are expected to be fully operational with GBU-48 laser guided bombs and the Laser Designator Pod by 2012.
Two Typhoons from JG73 left Rostock/Laage on February 15th 2010 destined for Bangalore, to carry out hot-and-high trials as part of Indian's MMRCA fighter competition. Thr trials will test the aircraft under both desert and high altitude conditions in the Jaisalmer and Leh regions. Following the trials in India, the team will then move to Europe to evaluate the weapons systems and advanced sensors.
On 15th September 2010 all Luftwaffe Typhoons were grounded because of a possible problem with the aircraft's ejection seat. This action was taken after the crash of a two-seat Eurofighter at the end of August in Spain. While the Spanish pilot escaped successfully using the ejection seat, the parachute had apparently become disconnected from the seat of the Saudi co-pilot, who died.
A Typhoon operated by JG-74 lost two 1000 liter drop tanks during a routine training flight over Bavaria on March 28th 2011. The missing tanks were found about 20km (12 miles) west of Augsburg later that day.
Eight Typhoons from JG-74 took part in a "Red Flag" exercise in Alaska between June 11th and 22nd 2012, alongside American, Polish, Japanese and Australian air forces. JG74 deployed from Neuburg AB to Eielson Air Force Base to participate in the exercise.
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